Locating wireless devices

Abstract

Techniques for locating a misplaced primary wireless device (within a spatial region. In particular, the techniques presented herein use a secondary wireless device to collect a plurality of multivariate wireless data points within the spatial region. An artificially intelligent search algorithm analyzes the plurality of multivariate wireless data points to estimate the location of the wireless device. Directional instructions that guide the user to the estimated location of the primary wireless device are generated and then provided to the user.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 receiving Bluetooth® data packets from a plurality of wireless devices disposed in a same spatial region as a hearing device;   determining relative directional position information between the hearing device and each of the plurality of wireless devices based on the Bluetooth® data packets; and   analyzing the relative directional position information with an artificially intelligent search algorithm to estimate a location of the hearing device in the spatial area.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving audio data sent over a Bluetooth® link from at least one of the plurality of wireless devices; and   using the audio data sent over the Bluetooth® link to generate output signals for delivery to a user of the hearing device.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 obtaining one or more multivariate wireless data points associated with Bluetooth® links between the hearing device and the plurality of wireless devices; and   using the one or more multivariate wireless data points to determine the relative directional position information between the hearing device and each of the plurality of wireless devices.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein obtaining each of the one or more multivariate wireless data points comprises:
 obtaining at least one characteristic of the Bluetooth® link at a spatial point; and   recording an indication of a spatial point of at least one of the hearing device or the respective wireless device at a time the at least one characteristic is obtained.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 determining an orientation of the hearing device at the time the at least one characteristic is obtained.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein obtaining at least one characteristic of the Bluetooth® link at a specific spatial point comprises:
 obtaining a signal strength of the Bluetooth® link. 
 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one wireless transceiver configured to receive Bluetooth® data packets from a plurality of wireless devices disposed in a same spatial region as a hearing device;   memory; and   at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:   determine relative directional position information between the hearing device and each of the plurality of wireless devices based on the Bluetooth® data packets; and   analyze the relative directional position information with an artificially intelligent search algorithm to estimate a location of the hearing device in the spatial area.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one wireless transceiver is configured to receive audio data sent over a Bluetooth® link from at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 use the audio data sent over the Bluetooth® link to generate output signals for delivery to a user of the hearing device. 
 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 obtain one or more multivariate wireless data points associated with Bluetooth® links between the hearing device and the plurality of wireless devices; and   use the one or more multivariate wireless data points to determine the relative directional position information between the hearing device and each of the plurality of wireless devices.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein to obtain each of the one or more multivariate wireless data points, the at least one processor is configured to:
 obtain at least one characteristic of the Bluetooth® link at a spatial point; and   record an indication of a spatial point of at least one of the hearing device or the respective wireless device at a time the at least one characteristic is obtained.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 determine an orientation of the hearing device at the time the at least one characteristic is obtained.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein to obtain at least one characteristic of the Bluetooth® link at a specific spatial point, the at least one processor is configured to:
 obtain a signal strength of the Bluetooth® link. 
 
     
     
         33 . A method, comprising:
 initiating a search process for locating a hearing device in a spatial area;   obtaining location data characterizing a location of the hearing device with respect to a second device in the spatial area, wherein the location data includes at least one positional characteristic and a signal strength of a Bluetooth® link between the hearing device and the second device;   estimating, based on the location data, a location of the hearing device; and   generating instructions for guiding a user towards the hearing device.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising:
 iteratively repeating the capturing, estimating and generating steps as the user moves with respect to the location of the hearing device.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one positional characteristic comprises satellite positioning data. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one positional characteristic is obtained using an artificially intelligent search algorithm. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the artificially intelligent search algorithm is a particle filter algorithm. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein generating instructions for guiding a user towards the hearing device comprises:
 providing the user with an indication of the estimated location.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein generating instructions for guiding a user towards the hearing device comprises:
 displaying, at a display screen, an augmented reality display including the instructions.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 automatically determining that the hearing device has been misplaced; and   automatically initiating the search process in response to determining that the hearing device has been misplaced.